


My Better Half, My Saving Grace

by ChocolateCapCookie



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coffee, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Implied Sexual Content, Love Languages, M/M, No really thats what this whole thing is centered around, Protective Steve Rogers, Slice of Life, Steve Rogers is an amazing husband, Texting, This is just pure fluff and not much more, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29116389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolateCapCookie/pseuds/ChocolateCapCookie
Summary: The five different ways Steve Rogers loves Tony Stark
Relationships: Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 26
Kudos: 91





	My Better Half, My Saving Grace

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ralsbecket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ralsbecket/gifts).



> This is a (more than a couple days late) birthday gift for my amazingly wonderful fandom friend [ralsbecket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ralsbecket/pseuds/ralsbecket). Thank you for being so amazing and supportive, and for making my few months in this fandom filled with joy and positivity!
> 
> Also thanks to [FestiveFerret](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FestiveFerret/pseuds/FestiveFerret) for all the help with the coding on this fic. It's only a small part, but I was so damn stumped by it, and Ferret's help was invaluable. Thank you so, so much!
> 
> Some parts of this fic might not be visible if the Creator's style is turned off, so turn it on? I guess? You don't have to do it if you don't want to; you won't miss anything _too_ important, I think.
> 
> Title from "You Make It Easy" by Jason Aldean.
> 
> I hope you like it!

****_Words of Affirmation_** **

Steve sat in front of the TV, bored. He never even watched TV anymore, but he’d run out of things to do. There were only so many reports he could file and so many punching bags he could break.

This was _not_ how he’d envisioned spending the weekend. He’d cleared his schedule, which wasn’t something he did very often, but he knew Tony didn’t have much going on this week, and he’d figured some time off together would be good. Of course, as CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company, you never knew what kind of work emergency could pop up, and Tony had been stuck in meetings all day, leaving Steve alone and with nothing to do.

He grabbed his phone, reading over the last text Tony had sent him, over two hours ago. Tony had sent it over four hours ago, and he still hadn’t come back home, nor had he replied to Steve’s definitely-not-petulant _You done yet?_

Steve deliberated for a couple of seconds before sending Tony another text.

Tony ❤️  
  
**Today** 12:42 PM  
**Tony:** I’ll be home soon!  
  
**TIME:** Today 2:36 PM  
  
**Steve:** You done yet?  
  
**TIME:** Today 5:05 PM  
  
**Steve:** Don’t worry about getting home, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate.  
  
**Steve:** I love you, Tony ❤️  
  
**Steve:** And I love how dedicated you are to your work  
  


He kept his phone back down, ready for another couple of hours of mind-numbing TV, but it buzzed almost as soon as he’d set it down.

Tony ❤️  
  
**Today** 5:05 PM  
**Steve:** Don’t worry about getting home, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate.  
  
**Steve:** I love you, Tony ❤️  
  
**Steve:** And I love how dedicated you are to your work  
  
**Tony:** Getting a little sappy there, big guy.  
  
**Tony:** But I love you too  
  


Steve grabbed his phone, typing furiously before Tony could set it down.

Tony ❤️  
  
**Today** 5:05 PM  
**Tony:** Getting a little sappy there, big guy.  
  
**Tony:** But I love you too  
  
**Steve:** How’s it going?  
  
**Steve:** Has Pepper’s head exploded yet?  
  
**Tony:** No, but it’s close  
  
**Tony:** This wouldn’t even be all that bad if I could just GET A CUP OF COFFEE  
  
**Steve:** Knowing you that means you’ve already drunk a Starbucks worth of coffee and now you’re so overhyped  
  
**Steve:** That Pepper isn’t letting you get anymore  
  
**Tony:** You know me so well  
  
**Steve:** You’ll be fine, Tony  
  
**Tony:** I know I will. I’m a genius  
  
**Tony:** I’d just be better with some fucking COFFEE  
  
[ ](https://i.ibb.co/PFrS9Hj/lnaguage.jpg)  
**Tony:** I regret ever introducing you to memes  
  
**Tony:** I’m sorry but I have to go honey  
  
**Tony:** Another boiler is about to explode  
  
**Tony:** And by boiler I mean the idiots I hired to be in the board of directors  
  
**Tony:** Sometimes I think it’d be easier to run this company myself  
  
**Tony:** You and Pepper could be my help  
  
**Steve:** You wouldn’t need help Tony  
  
**Steve:** You’re smart and talented enough to run the whole company alone  
  
**Steve:** And you could probably do it if you weren’t in your lab all the time  
  
**Tony:** I love your confidence in me  
  
**Steve:** And I love you  
  
**Steve:** Good luck with the BOD  
  
**Steve:** I know you’ll do amazing!  
  
**Tony:** I love you too ❤  
  


Steve set the phone down, wincing in sympathy as he imagined Tony getting into a screaming match with the rest of the board of SI. Steve had had the displeasure of meeting them exactly once before, and it wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat. Tony really would be facing a shit show today.

If only there was something he could do to help…

****_Receiving Gifts_** **

Steve walked slowly along the street, enjoying the chill of the cold winter air of New York. He wore a dark hoodie, shades and a baseball cap, his customary disguise when he didn’t feel like being mobbed by his adoring fans; which was to say, his regular disguise anytime he stepped out of the Tower.

He hadn’t thought a soldier, even one who was a war hero and a national icon, could merit such a following, but Tony and Clint had kindly explained to him that the attention he faced was less because of his daring feats against the Nazis and the Chitauri, and more about his, well, _physical assets_. They hadn’t even hidden their mirth very well, Clint sniggering between every word and Tony unable to keep a well-meaning smirk off his face. It had taken them showing him YouTube videos and Tumblr blogs dedicated solely to pictures of his face, his muscles and his rear for him to even believe them, and now, he made sure to cover up every time he stepped out of the Tower. It was nice to be appreciated, but this was not the time.

His disguise was pretty effective, he knew from experience, but he still tilted the cap low over his eyes as he walked into the Starbucks nearest to Stark Towers. He mumbled an order for three different coffees, making them all as strong and sweet as possible, but varying them slightly just in case Tony was in the mood for something different today. He ordered a hot chocolate for himself — Captain America could live without the extra caffeine, thank you very much — and tipped the barista well before he walked out of the shop, confident he hadn’t been noticed.

He walked back inside the Tower with no trouble and headed towards the employees’ entrance, forgoing the elevator that was designated for the Avengers’ private use.

He stepped outside the elevator to a scene of near-chaos. Several young men and women were typing frantically into their computers and phones and every other device they owned, and Pepper was in the middle of the mess, clutching at her hair. She looked unusually distressed, her usual air of careful put-togetherness not visible today.

“Hey, Pepper,” he said, handing her one of Tony’s coffees out of pity. “Rough day?”

“It was a minor international crisis this morning, and it somehow managed to grow into us almost losing our biggest client in East Asia,” she said, gratefully accepting the coffee and gulping it down in a few seconds. “We could’ve handled it but the board thinks it’s a risk, and they’re not willing to take it again. Tony’s been in there all day trying to convince them that just because they’re on the other side of the globe, that doesn’t make their money any less green.”

“Poor Tony,” Steve murmured, looking over at the sound-proof, bulletproof glass wall that separated the SI boardroom from the rest of the chaos. Even through three inches of reinforced glass, Steve could see how frustrated Tony was, gesticulating wildly as he spoke to the board. “Is it okay if he gets a five-minute break?” Steve gestured to the cups of coffee in his hands.

“Go ahead,” Pepper sighed. “He needs a break, and the board could use a recess.” She eyed the coffee sadly, and Steve laughed.

“Sorry, Pep, they’re for Tony,” he said. “You can have my hot chocolate if you want.” Pepper pouted but accepted the cup.

“I guess it’s better than nothing.” She drank it down in one gulp, and then handed Steve her SI badge, which would open the door to the boardroom for Steve. Steve kissed her on the cheek and then pushed open the heavy glass door.

There was a loud cacophony of voices for a few seconds before everyone in the room noticed that it was Captain America who had entered, and immediately fell into a respectful silence. Sometimes his hero status had its perks.

“I have to borrow Tony for a few minutes, if you don’t mind,” he said, turning his abundant all-American charm into the board. “Avengers business.”

“Of course, Captain,” said one man, who seemed two seconds away from sinking into a curtsy. Steve smiled at him, and then glanced at the door. Everybody took the hint and was soon outside, leaving Steve and Tony alone together.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Tony stalked over to Steve and pulled him into a kiss.

“Tony, you realize this place is made of glass, right?”

“I don’t care,” Tony pouted. “It’s been a long, shitty day, and I missed you.” His eyes fell on the cardboard cups in Steve’s hands, and he squealed in delight. “You brought me coffee?”

“I knew you wouldn’t have time to get some for yourself,” said Steve, handing Tony the first cup. Tony grabbed it from him and gulped it down like he was drinking from the Fountain of Youth. “And I thought you could use a break.”

“I really could,” groaned Tony, collapsing back into his chair. “I’ve been arguing with them for the better part of the last two hours and we’re _still_ nowhere near agreeing.” He grabbed the other cup right out of Steve’s hands. “Fuck, this was exactly what I needed.”

“Language,” said Steve teasingly, handing Tony a paper bag with a Starbucks muffin in it. Tony looked at him in awe even as he grabbed the bag, seemingly having no control over his limbs.

“I… I love you so much, you know that?”

“Hmmm, I dunno, I’d probably believe that better if I didn’t think you were saying it to the muffin.”

“I _am_ saying it to the muffin.” Tony paused around his mouthful, looking at Steve thoughtfully. “But also you. Because you brought me the muffin. Thank you.”

“It’s no big deal, Tony,” said Steve, kissing his cheek softly. “I’d better go before the Captain America charm wears off and your board riots.”

He slipped Tony a double-chocolate-chip cookie and kissed him one last time before he left.

****_Acts of Service_** **

By the time Tony got home, it was so late that Steve had given up any hope of having a hot dinner ready for him. Steve was half-asleep on the couch when Tony walked in, looking dead to the world. Steve immediately jumped to his feet.

“Hey, honey,” he said, pulling Tony into a nice long hug that Tony just seemed to melt into. “How’d it go?”

“Terrible,” Tony groaned, burying his head into the soft cotton of Steve’s shirt. “But Pep and I managed to convince them in the end.”

“That’s great,” said Steve, and the relief he felt was so clear in his voice that Tony hugged him again in gratitude. And Steve really was relieved; not just because it meant SI, and by extension Tony, was finally stable, but also because it meant Tony could have a well-deserved rest. He wouldn’t need to work this hard tomorrow, or the day after, and hopefully through the rest of the week.

Tony moaned quietly in his arms, shaking him out of his thoughts; there’d be time to think about the next week, when Tony needed him here and now.

“Did you eat at all today?”

“Ate yer cookie,” Tony mumbled, “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“You’ve gotta eat something, Tony.”

“‘M tired. Wanna sleep.” Tony pawed weakly at the back of Steve’s shirt. “With you, please.” The sight of a tired, cuddly, clingy Tony was so heart-meltingly sweet that Steve almost carried him off to bed right there and then, but he stood firm.

“You’ve gotta eat, honey. And maybe take a shower, because I love you, but you stink of sweat and fifty different people’s colognes.” Tony pouted his disapproval of that idea, and Steve had to smile.

“Doesn’t a nice, long, relaxing, bubble bath sound good, Tony?” he smirked teasingly. “Think about the nice warm water and the candles and the bubbles…”

“Fine,” groaned Tony. “You got me. Wake me up when the water’s warm.” He made as if to fall asleep on the couch, but Steve pulled him to his feet.

“Actually, I had JARVIS run a bath with all the works as soon as you stepped in the Tower,” he smiled, basking a little in Tony’s awe. “You’re very predictable.”

“Fuck, I love you so much,” said Tony as he entered the bathroom, the warm, soap-scented atmosphere already relaxing the two men before they’d so much as let go of each other. “I love you. Have I mentioned how much I love you?”

“I believe you have not, Sir,” JARVIS replied dryly, and Tony flipped a finger in the vague direction of the ceiling before stripping. He removed his boxers with a little wiggle — Steve was almost certain that it was just for his benefit — and clambered into the bath, moaning aloud as the warm, pink water settled over his aching muscles.

“Steve, this is amazing,” he groaned, his eyes shut and his face thrown back in pleasure. Steve had seen that exact face on him several times before — though usually it was in another context — and it always managed to make him fall in love with Tony just that slightest bit more.

“Get in here,” said Tony, making grabby hands at Steve, but he shook his head. This was Tony’s time to relax, and Steve knew if he entered the tub right now, there’d be no chance of either of them being very relaxed by the time the water had cooled.

“I’m going to make you some food,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to Tony’s forehead. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

Tony was surprisingly quiet in the few minutes Steve took to make Tony a quick grilled cheese and heat up the tomato soup he’d had for dinner earlier. Steve arranged the cutlery and the plates of soup and toast artistically on a raised tray, smiling a little at how wonderfully domestic this all felt.

He covered the soup and toast to keep it warm, and reentered the bathroom to check on Tony. The water was lukewarm now, and the bubbles weren’t as foamy as they had been. Still, Tony was lying there with an expression of utter bliss on his face, looking more relaxed than Steve had seen him in a long time. He’d almost have thought Tony was asleep if his hands hadn’t been playing absent-mindedly with the perfume-scented water.

“You all done, sweetheart?”

Tony dragged his eyes open. “I’m never leaving this tub.”

“Funny, I recall you saying the exact opposite just fifteen minutes ago,” Steve teased. “Changed your mind, huh?”

“Yup,” Tony proclaimed, sinking deeper into the water. “I’m gonna stay here forever.”

“You can do what you like, sweetheart,” Steve said fondly, “But I don’t think I’d enjoy being married to a prune.” Tony’s eyes shot open and he glared at Steve, mock-offended.

“I am Tony Stark,” he announced dramatically, “I do not _prune_.”

“You will if you stay in there forever.”

“My husband is such a killjoy,” Tony sighed, but began washing himself up. Steve only smiled at him, and left the bathroom to give Tony his privacy.

Tony appeared in their bedroom a few minutes later, a fluffy white towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping from his hair. He looked absolutely delectable, and Steve felt no shame in his blatant staring as Tony dropped the towel and pulled on a pair of pyjamas.

“You’re still looking,” said Tony, smiling as he clambered into their beds and stuffed himself between their sheets. Steve could almost literally see how relaxed and pliant he got as soon as he was horizontal; the poor man must have been absolutely exhausted.

“Eat before sleep,” he reminded Tony, who groaned.

“I know I was joking before, but I really don’t think I’ll ever leave this bed. I think my legs aren’t working anymore.”

“Which is why you don’t have to get up anywhere,” said Steve, flourishing the tray he’d prepared and placing it on a raised table on Tony’s lap. Tony eyed the tray curiously for a couple of seconds, then picked up the artificial rose Steve had placed on it, because Steve was sappy like that.

“Did you just make me dinner in bed?” he asked, trying to sound flippant, but Steve could hear the real emotion behind it.

“I mean it’s pretty far past midnight, so I guess you can call this breakfast in bed if you really want to,” said Steve, settling himself in beside Tony. Tony pulled him into a kiss, his hands pressed to Steve’s jaw, completely ignoring the food in front of him.

“I love you so much.”

Steve had to smile at that. “I love you too, honey.”

****_Physical Touch_** **

Steve skipped his run the next morning, electing to stay in bed and keep a watchful eye on Tony, who was conked out beside him. Steve barely ever skipped his runs, barring the times he was injured or occupied with an Avengers-level threat, but he felt the events of yesterday warranted a cheat day, even if Steve himself hadn’t done much.

Tony flopped onto his side in his sleep, his mouth open slightly, mumbling words Steve couldn’t make out. It was so disgustingly adorable that Steve had to hold himself back from grabbing his sketchbook and drawing Tony at that exact moment and position. Steve watched him for a bit and fell back asleep a little while later, cuddling Tony in his arms like a teddy bear.

It wasn’t surprising that he was the first to wake up once more, but it did feel a little surprising that he woke up surrounded by the scent and feel of his husband. No matter how they slept, Steve always ended up being the little spoon, but he hadn’t gotten the chance to wake up like this for almost a month.

Steve laid still for a few moments, trying to remember the last time he’d woken up with Tony next to him voluntarily. He wiggled slightly out of Tony’s grip to grab his phone, trying not to disturb him. Once he’d gotten his phone, he settled happily into Tony’s arms. It was nice and warm in there, and it smelled like a pleasing combination of sweat and deodorant and just plain Tony. He didn’t get to be here much, so he was going to milk every second’s worth.

Steve gasped audibly as he unlocked his phone. 10:24 AM. He and Tony had slept for _over eleven hours_ without waking up. That was probably some sort of record. It was definitely more sleep than Tony had gotten in the last two weeks combined.

Steve scrolled through his phone for a few minutes, but it wasn’t easy to do that without jostling Tony every time he moved his thumb. Tony snuffled himself awake a few minutes later and Steve watched in awe as Tony rubbed his eyes sleepily.

He hadn’t seen this in far too long.

Tony noticed Steve staring at him and smiled. He pulled Steve up for a soft kiss, morning breath be damned.

“Can’t keep your eyes off me, huh, soldier?” he said teasingly, but Steve just continued to look at him with that awestruck, lovesick look.

“I love you,” said Steve finally, after almost a minute of silence between the two. He reached a hand up to caress Tony’s face, almost having to hold back tears. “I love you so damn much, Tony Stark.”

“What brought that on?” asked Tony, trying to sound sarcastic. That didn’t really work, considering how well Steve could hear the fondness in his words. Steve shrugged.

“You look so peaceful and un-stressed and… happy,” admitted Steve quietly. “I’ve missed seeing you like this.”

Tony had to hold back a big, cheesy smile. “What makes you think I’m not happy, baby?” he asked, cuddling Steve and pressing his nose to Steve’s hair. “I know you think I work a little too much, but I’m fine. I’m great, actually. And I’m definitely happy. How can I not be, when I have you?”

One stubbornly traitorous tear rolled down Steve’s left cheek, resisting all of Steve’s attempts to hold it back, and Tony wiped it away, pressing a kiss to the damp skin. “You’re not leaving this bed today,” Steve said petulantly. “Stay here with me. We can order food and get JARVIS to send it up, and you can make up for all the cuddles I didn’t get yesterday.”

“Of course I’ll stay,” said Tony softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Steve’s forehead. Steve rested his head on Tony’s chest. It felt nice and warm and safe, and he never, ever wanted to let go. He slipped his head into the crook of Tony’s neck and just _breathed_. There was nothing that could make him feel better than a good long whiff of Tony.

He felt guilty, just a little, that he was the one being comforted when Tony was the one who’d worked for sixteen hours straight all day yesterday. But Tony pulled him closer just then, kissing Steve gently and with all the love he could fit into that one gesture, and Steve relaxed. Tony was getting as much happiness out of this as he was.

Tony moved his head down so it was level with Steve’s ear. “You know what else we couldn’t do yesterday?” he whispered, before tackling him and flipping him over on the mattress. He kissed Steve again, this time keeping it slow and sensual and passionate, a promise of things to come.

Steve hadn’t expected Tony to take the “stay in bed with me” command so literally, but he wasn’t going to complain.

****_Quality Time_** **

True to his word, Tony had stayed in bed with Steve until well in the afternoon, when the nice warm space under the covers was starting to become just a little bit _too_ warm, and maybe a little sticky, and their stomachs started crying out for more appetizing fare than the scrambled eggs Steve had quickly made for the couple in the morning.

“As much as I hate to say it , I think I need to take a shower,” Tony laughed, rolling out from under the covers. Steve stayed still, taking a few moments to appreciate the delicious ache in his muscles before rolling out of bed as well, quickly stripping out of his pyjamas and joining Tony in the shower.

“I asked Pepper to give you the day off,” he informed Tony, who seemed to be on the verge of putting on more formal clothes. Tony snorted at that.

“Like I was going to go in anyway,” he spat out. “I don’t want to see their stupid faces again for at _least_ another year. Maybe I really will fire them all and hire you instead, Steve. You’re better than all of those idiots.”

“I believe that’s called nepotism, Tony,” said Steve with a slight smile, handing Tony a cup of coffee. “And you never did tell me how you got everything fixed up.”

And so, between two cups of coffee and several boxed-mix waffles, Steve listened intently to the story of how Tony had argued against the board (“they’re all just really fucking racist, Steve, I don’t know how they ever let the company expand in the first place!”); how Pepper had tried throwing her pitch in support of Tony to the board, but they’d dismissed her opinion even though she technically had the power to fire them all (“just because she’s a woman, Steve! It’s not fair to Pepper, she’s smarter than all of them combined!”); and how Steve had inadvertently saved the day when he’d showed up with the coffee and muffins (“I think they forgot for a moment that I’m an Avenger, and that I’m married to an Avenger. They did seem to respect me a bit more after that, which is also bullshit, but I really didn’t care enough to call them out at that point”).

Steve listened to Tony in awe, smiling to himself at his husband’s ridiculous hand gestures and exaggerated retellings — surely nobody had _actually_ gotten into a fistfight? — and asking questions where it seemed appropriate. Besides the simple happiness of listening to his husband talk, he was adding to his mental notes about the Board of Directors of Stark Industries — after the debacle with SHIELD and Hydra and Pierce, he was wary of any man in a position of power.

“I wasn't even there but I’m glad it’s over,” he sighed as Tony wound up, patting his back in sympathy. He cleared the table, stacking the plates in the dishwasher as Tony frowned at him.

“Why’d you eat all the pancakes, Steve?” he asked, sounding so childishly petulant that Steve couldn’t resist placing a kiss to his soft lips.

“I didn’t. You scarfed them all down while you were telling your _very accurate_ story.”

“Oh.” Tony looked at the empty plates and then at his own stomach. “But I’m still hungry.”

“So am I, since you ate all my waffles.” Steve fake-glared at Tony before feeling his composure break at just how adorable his husband was. “Oh, c’mon, Tony, it’s not the end of the world, right? You have the day off, let’s make dinner together.”

Tony pouted once more, just to prove to Steve that he could, but joined Steve in the kitchen with good grace. Steve tasked him with chopping up the vegetables while Steve boiled lasagna noodles and kept an eye on the white sauce bubbling happily on the stove.

They didn’t speak much, mostly because both men were afraid that Tony would slip and cut a finger off if his concentration wavered for so much as a second, but the silence was nice. It was quiet and companionable, and Steve was filled with that inexplicable delight of working and doing and simply _being_ in such close proximity to the person you loved.

Tony let out an audible sigh of relief when he finished chopping the last onion, and Steve gave him a kiss as a reward as he mixed the vegetables into the meat sauce. Tony carefully layered the lines of noodles and sauce as Steve grated a block of cheddar cheese, and both men let out a sigh of relief as the pan was placed in the oven.

“You know, for something we’re gonna finish in like, ten minutes, that was too much effort,” Tony complained, glaring angrily at the stains on the kitchen counter and the pile of dishes that they were yet to wash. Steve laughed, but took pity on him.

“You can go, Tony,” he said, picking up a towel to wipe the counters. “Pick something out for us to watch. I’ll do the dishes.”

“Iron Man does not abandon his Captain,” said Tony, giving Steve a dramatic salute and rinsing off the dishes. “I mean, I’d love to abandon you, but we _did_ make this mess together, so we should probably clean it up together too.”

Between the two of them, they had the kitchen sparkling clean and back to order exactly as the oven announced to the world that their lasagna was ready.

“Okay, I can see why people do all the work.” Tony sniffed the air deeply. “If I could bottle this smell and sell it, I’d be a billionaire.”

“You’re already a billionaire,” Steve pointed out with a laugh. “But thank you.”

They settled on the couch with full plates, and Tony managed to worm his way between Steve’s legs. JARVIS started a random episode of _Friends_ , and Tony was soon absorbed in it, cuddling back against Steve and eating mechanically, his eyes glued to the screen.

Steve, though… his eyes were only glued on Tony; the way he smiled at some of the sillier jokes and how his shoulders shook at the times he laughed out loud; the way his hand was placed on Steve’s knee, rubbing slow, gentle absentminded circles on it. Most of all, he let himself look at Tony and simply enjoy the fact that they were _together_ and _happy_ , all by themselves.

“Tony?” he said, quiet and reflective. Tony turned to look up at him questioningly, and Steve noticed a streak of sauce across his bottom lip that he really, really wanted to lick off.

“I love you.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again @ralsbecket for everything you've done, both for me and this fandom. Ily, and I hope you have a great year ahead!


End file.
